Perceptions and needs of pet owners with cancer: Results from a national survey from the CancerCare Pet Assistance and Wellness (PAW) program.
Authors: Fantine Giap, Lisa Gayle Kimbro, Keith Michon, Matthew Wessler, Patricia Goldsmith, Fumiko Chino
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2022)

249 Background: Many patients diagnosed with cancer own pets, yet information addressing pet care during cancer treatment is both rare and inconsistent in content. The resultant gap of knowledge and need for resources is not well understood. Cancer Care (a national non-profit providing emotional and practical support services) created a survey to assess pet owner perspectives with the goal of implementing patient-informed solutions. Methods: A mixed methods approach was utilized including an original 11-question online survey sent to 8434 patients with cancer known to own pets in August 2021. The survey asked about pets in the home and pet care knowledge and needs. A focus group of 10 patients was selected from the 84 who volunteered and included 6 females, 4 males, age range 41-68, from a variety of race/ethnicities. This research was funded through a grant from Amie’s Place Foundation. Results: 328 responses were collected in the 10 days of survey administration. The most common pets in the home were dogs (77%) and cats (45%) with a minority (2-5%) reporting other pets. The vast majority (98%) reported that their pets were extremely or very important in their recovery from cancer treatment. Prior to cancer diagnosis, most were involved in feeding (89%), taking pets to the veterinarian (80%), grooming (70%), walking (68%), administering pet meds (56%), and cleaning soiled pet items (47%). After cancer diagnosis, many relied on help from their spouse/partner (41%), children (33%), friends (14%); 15% noted that they didn’t have anyone else to help with their pets. Over half (55%) had safety concerns regarding pet care since their cancer diagnosis. Of the 77% with questions about caring for their pet, the 3 most common concerns were: how to care for their pets when feeling unwell (58%), infections from their pets (47%), and impact of their cancer treatment on pets (36%). Places from which respondents wanted information included CancerCare.org (66%), their veterinarian’s office (32%), or the treating cancer center (25%). Information was best received online (56%), or via printed materials (46%), and downloadable fact sheets (24%). The focus group findings confirmed the emotional support and companionship that pets provided (“ When I was at my lowest point, my dog kept me up and going.”) but highlighted the need for additional assistance for pet care needs and information from their care team (“ Cancer patients don’t have a clear direction on where to go for resources on how to take care of your pet.”). Conclusions: While almost all surveyed pet owners with cancer highly value the emotional support their pet provides and state it helped them recover from cancer treatment, there is a clear need for improved information dissemination regarding patient and pet safety during the patient’s cancer treatment. Accurate and accessible information would benefit patients with cancer and fill an unmet need.